The Third Act

by Joy Monger

After almost 30 years with the same organization, my Mom retired today.

This was pretty cool for several reasons:

1. There was cake

2. I got to see Mom with her work face on. Rarely do you get to see the people you love in their work environment. They spend 8, 9, 10 hours a day there but do you know what your friends and family really do for a living? I swear sometimes people still think I sort jeans for a living just because I happen to work for a thrift organization.

3. Also, who works at the same organization for thirty years anymore? Mom was my age when she started working there…and she’s grown the business just like she raised me; with lots of love and grace.

4. It was really neat to hear why Mom got into non-profit in the first place. Why do your parents do the work they do? Were they inspired by Lyndon Johnson and the war on poverty and decided to build a career upon it? Because my Mom was. What will I tell my children was my passion and motivation? I hope it isn’t because I wanted money or power or worse yet, because I was scared to go for the big goal.

5. Mom isn’t yet sixty. And she’s in non-profit. I work non-profit so I know she’s not exactly swimming in dollars. And she raised two kids on her own. By living modestly, having an awesome and supportive partner, and keeping her eye on the prize she’s able to leave while she still has plenty of time to enjoy the third act of her life.